OROVILLE — In a previously unheard-of move, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, paid a visit to the Butte County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to update them on what is and is not happening in Washington.

The freshman member of Congress said the biggest thing in the Capitol now is the federal budget. He said the House passed a budget crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., that promises to balance the federal books in 10 years.

The representative said people have a difficult time understanding why it takes a decade to balance the budget, but, "Even at 10 years, it is very ambitious, and very difficult to get it done."

He said both the House and Senate have passed budgets that sharply disagree and now the measures will go to a conference committee and "the hashing out begins."

LaMalfa said he sees hints of change coming in Washington.

He said there are "some interesting new folks" on the Democrat side in the Senate.

He pointed to a recently approved Senate bill that rescinds a 2.3 percent tax that was to be imposed on new medical equipment as part of the funding of "Obamacare."

He predicted the House will rapidly approve the same measure, but he was less sure what would happen when the bill reached the president's desk.

He said the whole issue of the Affordable Health Care Act will be hotly debated over the coming year as employers with 50 employees or more are faced with health care costs that could jump $3,000 more per year for each worker.

LaMalfa said there is going to be a new rush of "49ers" as employers cut their workforce to that number to avoid some of the new health care costs.

He talked briefly about immigration, saying something has to be done to help halt the flow of illegal immigrants coming over the Mexican border, and at the same time allowing agricultural workers with documentation into this country.

"We are not talking about a Berlin Wall. We are talking about a fence with a gate," he explained.

Supervisor Doug Teeter of Paradise, who has been a vocal supporter of recreational vehicle use in both the Lassen and the Plumas national forests, asked LaMalfa about access to the forests.

LaMalfa said forest officials have been "completely going in the wrong direction" when it comes to citizen access to the forests, and on the topic of timber harvesting.

"They are pretty obstinate about it," said the congressman.

He said each of the national forests needs to perform on timber and vehicular recreation issues or "otherwise there will be consequences."

Oroville Supervisor Bill Connelly, who chairs the board, thanked LaMalfa for taking time to make such a report to the panel.

"I don't know of any other time when a seated congressman has been before the board," said Connelly.